Tag: heart disease

In the Permanente Journal last year, the official peer-reviewed publication of our nations largest managed care organization, a “Nutrition Update for Physicians” was published, which concluded that “Healthy eating maybe best achieved with a plant-based diet,” which they defined as a diet that encourages whole plant-based foods and discourages meat, dairy products, and eggs as well as empty calorie junk. To quote their conclusion: “Research shows that plant-based diets are cost-effective, low-risk interventions that may lower body mass index, blood pressure, HbA1C, and cholesterol levels. They may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates. Physicians should consider recommending a plant-based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity,” which of course describes a bulk of our population.

This sentiment was echoed last summer by the American Institute for Cancer Research—probably the most preeminent institution on diet and cancer risk—when they explicitly endorsed a diet revolving around whole plant foods: vegetables, whole grains, fruits and beans.

I’ve personally been eating a plant-rich diet since 1990, when Dr. Dean Ornish published his Lifestyle Heart Trial in The Lancet, angiographically proving that heart disease could be reversed with the help of a plant-based diet, opening up arteries without drugs, without surgery. If that’s all a plant-based diet could do, reverse our number one killer of men and women, then shouldn’t that be our default dietary recommendation until proven otherwise? And the fact that plant-based diets can also be effective in preventing, treating, and arresting other leading killers, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension, would seem to make the case for plant-based eating overwhelming.

Now to the last Guideline Committee’s great credit, the 2010 guidelines were a leap in the right direction, recognizing food as a package deal. Yes there’s calcium in dairy, protein in pork, iron in beef, but because of the baggage that comes along (like the saturated fat and cholesterol), plant sources are preferable, because then the “baggage’ we get is the fiber, the folate, the phytonutrients, etc.

I would like to see the committee be more explicit, though. When “eat-more” recommendations are issued, the messaging is clear—for example, “Increase vegetable and fruit intake.” But when there’s a conflict between USDA’s dual role to protect the public while at the same time promoting agricultural products, recommendations often resort to speaking in cryptic biochemical components, such as “Reduce intake of solid fats (major sources of saturated and trans fatty acids).” How about instead, eat less cheese. Or messages like drink less soda. Eat less meat, particularly processed meat. The American Institute for Cancer Research just comes out and says it: “Processed meat like bacon, sausage, and cold cuts should be avoided.” Period. They don’t need to sell food; they just want to prevent cancer.

I am not here today on behalf of the broccoli lobby (though I’d be honored to represent big broccoli). I am not here representing any financial interest. I am here as a physician, representing the interests of the hundreds of thousands of Americans that continue to suffer and die every year from chronic disease. And you can help them by recommending a more plant-based diet.

Eat 3-4 servings of seaweed weekly for adequate iodine which is needed for thyroid function. My favorite is Dulse, or try Nori sheets used for sushi. Or can take 1 kelp tablet daily

The leading causes of death in this country are heart disease and cancer, both of which are for the most part, preventable if you follow a whole foods plant-based diet. And now we know that heart disease can be reversible on a strict low fat completely plant-based diet (vegan) (Read Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn, MD )

Practice eating to 80% fullness. (‘Hara Hachi Bu’) Eat slowly & mindfully. Take a few soft belly breaths before each meal to help you slow down and chew well. Caloric restriction increases longevity (Read The Blue Zones Dan Buettner)

Be mindful of the P/a ratio = Plant to animal ratio. Increasing plants and decreasing animal products has been shown to increase longevity and prevent chronic disease.

Avoid the Pleasure Trap: We are designed to seek pleasure, avoid pain and be as efficient as possible in this process. What killed humans most often during most of the time on this planet is famine (starvation). Our brains are still designed to survive famine. It does this by rewarding us when we eat more caloric dense foods. (fat, sugar) That is why we feel temporarily pretty good after eating meat and cheese. This is because of increased levels of dopamine in the brain. (Heroin does that too!) In modern times what kills most humans is EXCESS not starvation. Too much fat and sugar! And we can get a hold of it without any work at all (very efficient), just driving to the market to purchase compared to the day when humans would walk/run on average 10 miles a day gathering and hunting for food. (Read The Pleasure Trap)

The Gabriel Method: Diets don’t work. Instead of thinking I can’t have this, I can’t have that. Think I can have it but I choose not to. Increase the good in your life! Increase the healthy foods, let them take up more of the plate and the good will eventually win over the bad. You will put your body in a better position to heal itself. Your cravings will decrease. Your taste buds will change and you will enjoy your food more. (Watch Hungry for Change!)

Don’t worry about protein! As long as you are eating mostly whole foods you will likely meet your protein requirement. If you feel you are not getting enough, increase beans, try tempeh! Add hemp seeds. Your requirement for protein is 0.8 grams/body weight in Kilograms. Do the math.

Remember oils are processed and don’t exist in nature for consumption. It takes 44 olives to make 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 16 ears of corn for 1 tablespoon corn oil and 3 feet of sugar cane for 1 teaspoon of sugar! Keep it whole and unprocessed and your body will respond. Check out eatunprocessed.com for whole plant based recipes and information from Chef AJ.

Other books: The China Study by T. Collin Campbell, PhD, Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs, The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health & Happiness by Douglas J. Lisle, PhD, The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, MD, Diet for a New America by John Robbins

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